The Price of Vengeance
by Emcron
Summary: Inu-Yasha has stumbled upon a badly injured woman. What secrets does she hide? What strange forces does she command? Bound together by circumstance, can the woman's ultimate desire be fulfilled and Inu-Yasha's greatest foe be defeated? R&R plz!!!
1. The Enchantress

            She stumbled through the undergrowth blindly. No longer using her eyes, she felt the way with her gift. Behind her, she felt the destructive wake of her battle. A battle she nearly lost. Blood oozed from a number of her open wounds, but she lacked the strength to close the gashes. Her silken tunic was torn and shredded…her magic had failed to protect her. She stumbled on a root, her magic failing to sense it. Like a soldier though, she forced herself up onto one knee, irritably brushing leaves and accumulated dirt from her vest. Then she felt his presence. He wasn't far. The one she wanted to find. The one she had to fight through demons to reach. The fatigue was surging through her now. Damn it all. Before she could so much as gasp, she had hit the ground, completely out.

            His ears peaked at the sound. It was a subtle sound. He could almost recall what it sounded like. Inhaling sharply on the air, he felt the sharp coppery prickle of blood. Human blood. Gifted human blood. Drawing Tetsusaiga, he drew in deep on the humid air, following the trail of life essence. He could see the blood now, on the plants and foliage of the forest he had entered. His ears perked again. A slowing heartbeat. He raced forward towards the source, and found the fallen human, her head resting in the mud and withered earth. He sheathed Tetsusaiga and picked up her prone form, she was light as a feather. She contrasted him greatly, his snow-white hair and hers inky black. His larger, stockier form; her small, delicate physique. There was nothing delicate about the magic he could smell raging inside her though. He also sensed a vague hint of sulfur on the air…sulfur and scorched earth. Following it to its source with the woman in his eyes, he sat back in stark surprise. A crater…near thirty feet deep and at least fifty feet wide greeted him. He glanced down at the woman in his arms and then at the collapsed earth. Before he could make assumptions as to what had happened, he felt her body weaken in his grasp and started off towards his allies at speed graced not to mere humans.

            Kagome sat idly on a cushion with Shippou in the inn Miroku had so self piously 'warded' against demonic presence. Sometimes the monk could be very useful. Except for when he asked her to bear his children. Shippou slept in her lap, his tail wrapped around her arm. Idly, she scratched behind his ears while she waited for word from Inu-Yasha. He had disappeared rather suddenly, which didn't really surprise her, but he was usually back within the hour he left. He had already been gone for several hours, and she was beginning to worry about his insolent demon hide. Glaring angrily at a porcelain teapot, picked it up, noting its delicate flower pattern. As she poured more tea, she looked deeply into the soft golden fluid. Inu-Yasha's straining face stared back at her. With a start, she whirled around and stared into the half demon's face. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the prone form of a woman in his arms. She looked badly injured.

            "Friend of yours Inu-Yasha?" She inquired, raising an eyebrow at the surprising beauty of the woman, despite her injuries.

            "Very funny Kagome. I found her out in the forest below this inn. Do something for her. You have medicines and stuff, use them!"

            "Move then and let me see what I can do."

            Inu-Yasha placed the woman lightly on the cushions and stepped back muttering to himself. Kagome examined the woman's body with a critical eye, noting the damage. Some of it looked unnatural. No blade could cause the kind of wounds this woman had taken. The woman's eyes fluttered slightly and opened; emerald pools staring up into Kagome's. Weakly, her hand grasped Kagome's, and her eyes scanned the room uncertainly.

            "You…your essence…it is like that of…" Her voice trailed off in a fit of coughs. "Like…Kikyo."

            At that, Kagome sat back a bit, "How do you know that? Who are you?"

            The woman reached for Kagome's hand, "Child, I need your help if I am to have another chance at life. Please, lend me your strength."

            "I'll…I'll try." Kagome agreed. Hesitantly, she reached to the woman's trembling hand. When their hands met, it felt like heaven. Kagome saw purity, tasted truth, and swam in a silken world of serenity.

            Miroku held Inu-Yasha back as a brilliant white light enveloped both woman, "Stay back Inu-Yasha, I can sense there is nothing evil here, but here is more going on here than you or I can understand."

            "Let me go, monk!" Inu-Yasha protested against Miroku's grip, but made little effort to force his way out. Before their astonished eyes, the woman's skin took on a slight glow. A long gash on her forearm began to fade. Flesh and skin, muscle and bone, body and spirit knitted before their eyes. Fresh skin replaced gashes, and blood vanished beneath the weight of such clarity. Before their eyes, the woman and Kagome broke hands, and the woman rose from the ground, not by means of physical strength: she floated on an aura of pure magic. Inhaling deeply upon the air, she opened her eyes, fixing the room with her piercing green gaze. The brilliant glow faded from her body, and she lighted softly to the ground. Though her clothes were still tattered, it did nothing to diminish her radiance at all.

            Kagome stood beside Inu-Yasha and waited expectantly for the woman to speak. "Spirit-Daughter of Kikyo and Inu-Yasha, I have searched long and far for the two of you. My name is Chiara, and I have come to beg help of you."

            Kagome glanced once at the perplexed demon before returning her gaze to Chiara, "What kind of help is that?"

            Her face grew serious, "I need you to help me avenge the death of my son."

            Kagome could sense Chiara's pain, "Wait…firstly do you know who killed your son?"

            The woman nodded. A tear ran from her eye, to rest at the corner of her mouth, "His murderer was Seshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands."


	2. The Road to Revenge

            Kagome blinked. She had heard of Seshoumaru doing some fairly cruel and terrible things, but never something like this. Usually he didn't steep so low as to destroy a human village for no reason, and even if he did, it was usually his toad Jaken who ended up doing the actual destroying. "You're positive it was Seshoumaru who destroyed your village?"

            The glare Chiara turned on her could have frozen molten earth, "Long white hair, tail over his shoulder, stoic no matter what the situation brings? I know who Seshoumaru is…what did you say your name was?"

            Kagome gave her an equally flat stare, "It's Kagome."

            Chiara nodded thoughtfully, "Right. Well Kagome, let me fill you in on a bit of history. Seshoumaru wants his father's fang, which is currently in the possession of Inu-Yasha. Seshoumaru cannot hold that fabled fang however because he is full demon and will certainly not wield it in defense of a human. That is why he sought me out. It was many years ago, and I was a young Enchantress at the time. We Enchanters have nothing as you define magic. We can instead enhance or manipulate things around us. Seshoumaru wanted me to enchant one of his arms so that it would be human enough for him to hold the Tetsusaiga, and thereby take it from Inu-Yasha. However, I knew what he would do the moment he took that fang, so I refused, and drove him away with the aid of my fellow Enchantresses. Though we are few, we are very powerful in large numbers."

            Kagome nodded in agreement, "So you think he may have destroyed your village as revenge for your refusal to help him?"

            Chiara stared at the ground beneath them, refusing to show her tears, "I don't think that it is out of his power to do such a thing. I am a gifted Enchantress, one of the strongest in many years. Without my help it is certainly possible for him to defeat my spell-sisters and then the village."

            Inu-Yasha had propped himself on a cushion to listen, as Miroku prepared some more tea for the group. "So you came to me hoping I can help you kill my brother?"

            Chiara turned to him, a murderous glint in her eyes, "No, Inu-Yasha. I have better plans for him. I don't want to kill him. That would be too easy. I want him to suffer. Not just physically suffer I want him to emotionally suffer. I want him to feel every ounce of pain and sadness I feel every time I wake up in the morning. I want him to taste despair like water reaching his lips. I want him to be so desperate that he would do anything to stop the torment, and believe me, I have a means of doing it."

            Kagome shuddered at this woman's words. She believed every word of it, even if Inu-Yasha did not. What strange powers did this woman really command? She could sympathize with Chiara's pain, but not with her means. She could also sense the Shikon shard imbedded in Chiara's chest, increasing her already potent powers. She said nothing though, that shard seemed more useful where it was.

            The young Enchantress forced a smile, "I'd do such a thing myself, but I lack the ability to defend myself against Seshoumaru alone. That is why I sought you out. Though you are weaker than he, I can make you stronger through the use of my enchantments; possibly strong enough to turn the tides of a battle. Know this though; to help me is to walk my path of vengeance. If we choose to do this, if we decide that this is the right course of action, then there is no turning back."

            Inu-Yasha sniffed angrily, "Weaker am I? I'll have you know that I defeated him the last time we fought. Cut off his arm I did." He beamed proudly.

            Chiara scowled at him, "All the good that did, fool. You surprised him is all you managed to do. Seshoumaru is no dimwitted run of the muck demon he will find a way around the fact that you hold Tetsusaiga now, even without my aid in enchanting his arm. When he does, he will butcher you as he did my son."

            Kagome stepped between them. "Enough! Inu-Yasha, stop being a child and go rest if you can't find a point to agree with her on, and I'll finish this conversation with her. She needs our help, and frankly, I'd breath easier knowing that Seshoumaru and his goon squad weren't breathing down our necks every ten minutes after that damn sword of yours."

            Inu-Yasha made a move to retort, but clamped his jaws and turned away from them. "Yeah," he yawned, "Sleep sounds better than dealing with a pair of stupid girls."

Kagome crossed her arms across her chest, "Inu-Yasha."

He turned back and yawned, "Yeah what?"

"Don't make me use the S-word."

Inu-Yasha squinted his eyes angrily and grumbled as he slipped into his bedroll.

Chiara shot an angry glare in his direction, but turned to Kagome, and slipped on a forced smile.

            "Is he always so charming?" Chiara inquired drawly.

            Kagome grimaced, "Unfortunately so. It's the side of Inu-Yasha that won't quite grow up."

            "I see…so my revenge rests on the shoulders of the reincarnation of a dead priestess and a half demon with the disposition of a child…so much for seeking the Gods' favor."

            Kagome fixed an angry stare on her, "You want me to be more reasonable? You're hardly giving me a reason to start."

            Chiara's eyes revealed nothing, "Very well. I apologize. Now, on to business; you may want to waken the monk and get Inu-Yasha out of his dog cage."

            "Why so?" Kagome inquired.

            The Enchantress turned to a nearby window, "Something is coming. I can feel its life force. It is out of sink with the rest of life's enchantment in this area."

            Kagome blinked, "What does that mean?"

            Chiara sighed irritably, "It means that I sense a demon coming this way. Please waken Inu-Yasha so that he can be ready. I dislike having to use the few spells I know that can damage things, as they are hard to control."

            Kagome was about to round on the arrogant mage, when she turned to get Inu-Yasha instead. Arrogant or not, they could use her help as much as she could use theirs. Avoiding conflict was more desirable than starting it.

            She shook Inu-Yasha's shoulders with one hand, and grabbed his haori with the other, "Wake up, Inu-Yasha…something's coming, and we'll need your help."

            The demon blinked at her sleepily and rolled over, "Let Miroku deal with it."

            She glowered at him, "Fine then, have it your way. "Sit bo…"

            Before she could finish her command, his hand clamped over her mouth, "Alright, alright. Fine." He yawned irritably. And slipped into the offered haori. He unsheathed Tetsusaiga and brushed the sleep out of his eyes.

            Chiara glanced in their direction and shook her head irritably. With a wave of her hand and a few muttered words, the candles in their room abruptly flared out. Everyone slipped into a darkened corner, and fixed their eyes on the paper-thin door. They had been talking for so long, Kagome hardly noticed that the sun had gone down and that the outside was dark, save their candles. In eager silence, they waited. Kagome shrank further into her corner when she heard the door began to slide open. She heard Inu-Yasha shift a bit, probably into a better stance to attack the intruder.

            A small figure slipped into the door. A long staff clutched awkwardly in its stubby arms. It shuffled very quietly across the floor, approaching one of the bedrolls. Ever so quietly and quickly, it raised the staff high, and brought it down onto the middle of the bedroll. Again and again, it stabbed downward, until finally satisfied it pulled back the covers, to find them empty.

            Suddenly, it was on the ground, Inu-Yasha's sword against its throat. It gargled in a voice that sounded familiar, and flailed angrily with its staff. Suddenly, the light reappeared, as Chiara waved her hands once more, and the ugly face of Jaken greeted her, beneath the deadly blade of Inu-Yasha.

            The toad squirmed in his grasp, "Unhand me, pup! Take your paws off me, before my Lord Seshoumaru comes and beats you like the weakling you are!"

            Inu-Yasha grinned sadistically, "Well well, if it isn't the toad himself. What makes you think my brother will come save your sorry hide, Jaken?"

            The toad gulped, "My lord Seshoumaru may be cruel, but he will surely help his noble servant Jaken."

            Inu-Yasha laughed, "Hardly. Your faith is very badly placed, Jaken. So, what brings you to my humble abode? Certainly not for some tea and biscuits with us? Why'd you stab that bedroll? Answer truthfully or frog's legs are for dinner."

            Jaken squirmed more wildly now, "My lord Seshoumaru told me to come here and kill you if I could. Tetsusaiga is not rightfully yours it belongs to my Lord Master. If you give me the sword, I might let you live, halfbreed."

            The mad glint reappeared in the dog youkai's eyes, "As though I fear the likes of you? Don't make me laugh Jaken."

            Before Inu-Yasha could press his advance on the toad, Chiara stepped closer. Jaken's eyes widened at the sight of her, "You…you're supposed to be dead! How did you survive my Lord Master's assault?"

            Chiara's eyes could have shattered diamond, "I survived to avenge my son, toad. I will avenge him, I promise you that." She placed a hand firmly on Inu-Yasha's arm. "Release him Inu-Yasha, I have a better idea for his use rather than killing him this day."

            Inu-Yasha snarled and looked to Kagome for her insight. She nodded her head slowly, much to his surprise. With a growl, he backed off of the fallen toad, and allowed him to straighten himself.

            Chiara bent down and stared into the toad's eyes from inches away. "Now you listen very carefully, worm. Go tell your 'Lord Master' or whatever you call him that Chiara of House Wisewing is coming for him. Tell him to watch his back, and check his bed for knives every evening. Tell him to get tasters for his wine. My touch can reach everywhere. Tell him that I will make him pay for what he's done, on my honor as an Enchantress. Blood will pay for blood." She stepped back. "Now leave before I change my mind and let Inu-Yasha have a midnight snack."

            Inu-Yasha twirled the sword playfully in the background and snickered in the toad's direction. With a yelp, Jaken bounded out the door, and vanished into the night. His shuffling could be heard a ways into the distance as he scrambled through the dense undergrowth.

            Inu-Yasha eyed the blade in his hand thoughtfully, "Chira…"

            She whirled around and placed her hands on her hips, "Yes?"

            "This vengeance you spoke of. Will it keep Seshoumaru from ever coming after us again? You're sure that it will stop him forever more?"

            The Enchantress nodded slowly, "Aye, that is what I plan to do, yes."

            The dog demon nodded thoughtfully, "Then I agree to help you. I will aid you in this path of vengeance. I won't do it for you though, I'll do it for the sake of the quest Kagome and I share to gather the shards of the Shikon jewel. At first light, we'll head towards the Western Lands, and confront my brother."

            Chiara nodded in agreement, "So begins our path of vengeance, and my journey to full circle with Seshoumaru, murderer of my house."


	3. Woman's Intuition

            Shouldering what packs they had, they journeyed through the dense undergrowth. A half youkai on a quest, a kitsune journeying for the memory of his parents, a monk sojourning to take the life of an ancient evil, the reincarnation of a dead priestess, and an enchantress whose heart feels no love. Brought together by circumstance, their path has been set clear by intrigue and death. Grimly, they plunged through the undergrowth, led by the determined magician. Inu-Yasha followed a few steps behind her, clearing the way for others using his Tetsusaiga. Miroku increased his pace until he was side by side with Kagome. Shippou bounded along beside them, seemingly without a care in the world.

            Miroku regarded Kagome out of the corner of his eye, "So…what do you think she's planning?"

            Kagome gazed up into the canopy in deep thought, "I'm not sure Miroku. I can sympathize with her, but you'd think someone with such power would be a bit more willing to go about other means of keeping her son's memory alive."

            The monk wrinkled his brow, "What do you mean?"

            "Well, where I come from, when someone is murdered like her son, people get angry and people can swear to do horrible things, but in the end life must go on. Justice can be served in a lot of cases, but people still go on living, to keep their loved one's memory alive. That's what I can't understand."

            "Why she's so willing to make Sesshoumaru suffer?"

            Kagome nodded, "Yes, its kinda strange when you think about it. I've heard about the 'with great power comes great responsibility' issues, but this is too much. Plus, she has a shikon shard imbedded in her chest."

            Miroku raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Have you asked her about it?"

            Kagome shook her head, "I don't have to, I know what its for. I'd say at some point, she was thinking she'd have to take on Seshoumaru on her own, so she found that shard and uses it to increase her power. Perhaps she thought that increase would be enough to make the difference." Kagome grimaced, "Apparently though, it wasn't enough. Remember how she was when we found her?"

            Miroku nodded, "Yes, I remember well. I also remember the miracle you performed in saving her."

            Kagome looked bewildered, "I did nothing there, that was all her…do you think we're doing the right thing in trusting her? I know she's hiding things, but I don't know what."

            Miroku patted her affectionately on the shoulder, "I'd say we're doing the right thing in supporting her. I sense that she isn't doing this to Sesshoumaru out of true malice in the sense that she derives pleasure from what she does. She does this because she feels her life depends on it. She's lived this long to avenge her family. Vengeance is a powerful motivator, but it comes with a price." He gazed at the long inky black hair swaying in the breeze behind the Enchantress, "I'm just curious what her price will be."

            Shippou twirled his top playfully, "Aw, don't worry Kagome, I'm sure whatever happens will be fine. Besides, without Sesshoumaru breathing down our necks anymore, we'll be able to collect shards without a problem."

            Kagome thought on the young kitsune's words, but for some odd reason, she couldn't bring herself to accept his interpretation.

            They traveled until dawn, making fairly good time through the undergrowth, before Chiara stopped suddenly, and began looking around uncertainly. Without a word, Inu-Yasha drew his Tetsusaiga and advanced past her. Miroku stiffened beside Kagome and moved to join them.

            She watched them move so swiftly and inquired at Miroku, "What's going on Miroku?"

            Without looking back, the monk waved his staff in large defensive arcs, "Something's coming. It reeks of demonic corruption."

            As the three warriors fanned out, surveying the area, Kagome drew her bow from her pack, and began fitting arrows. Though a marksmen she was not, she could still do damage with her arrows. The forest seemed strangely still though. Wherever it was coming from, she certainly couldn't tell. Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted from the forest, and Inu-Yasha was blow backward by a screeching black blur. Tetsusaiga clattered to the forest floor a few feet away from him, as he struggled to hold back the demon's outstretched claws. Saliva dripped from enlarged fangs, as it made strong swiping and gouging motions at the half youkai's chest. It looked almost like a heavily muscled and furless cat, though corrupted by demonic powers. It had intense strength, as it pressed down harder on Inu-Yasha and came ever closer to his heaving chest. 

            Miroku charged at it, only to be kicked hard and smashed into a tree. The dazed monk struggled to regain his footing to no avail, as he braced himself on his staff. He reached for the beads covering his air rip, but hesitated. With Inu-Yasha under the demon, it would be too risky to use it.

            Kagome readied her arrows, but like Miroku, was helpless to use her weapon without risking injury to Inu-Yasha. It was Chiara's move to help that surprised her more than anything.

            Racing at the demon with inhuman speed, the Enchantress uttered a phrase in a language that Kagome couldn't begin to decipher. A shimmering pole of light appeared in her outstretched hands, and spinning it like a master, she charged in. Sensing her approach, the demon broke off of Inu-Yasha and pounced at her, taking a huge swipe with an outstretched paw. The Enchantress seemed to bend double, avoiding the paw swipe at her head, and shuffled under its counter slash. Spinning so as to use her own momentum, the seething energy of her staff smashed into it's body again and again, each time producing a colored shower of light. She flowed through her relentless assault like dancer, never pausing to give the creature time to recover. Her staff's attacks grew in frequency, and the demon was clearly beginning to feel it. Everyone watched with wide eyes as she parried one of the demon's attacks, and slapped it across the face, not once, but twice. Shrieking in pain and rage at her insult to its fighting prowess, it carelessly took an overhand swipe at her. Leaping back, as agile as a fox, she swung back, landing her staff hard against the base of it's spine. There was the sickening crunch of bone, and an agonized shriek as the creature smashed into the ground, unmoving and unaware. The Enchantress eyed it with arrogance before turning her back and uttering a single word in the language. Her staff disappeared in a flash of light, and she proceeded to pick up the Tetsusaiga, handing it to Inu-Yasha with something like respect.

            Instead of giving thanks, the half demon regarded her with suspicion, "You call yourself some wizard? Why didn't you just blast it with some of that magic of yours."

            She eyed him impassively, "Well, firstly for the uneducated here, I'm an Enchantress. En-chant-ress; I have the ability to manipulate objects around me by enhancing their natural powers, but I lack any form of offensive magic except for one kind, and I can't use it with you too close to the target."

            He sneered at her, "It takes more than cheap parlor tricks to hurt me you know."

            She sneered back, "No if that magic of mine can rob you of your heritage, fool."

            Inu-Yasha considered this, and was about to voice a reply, but thought better of it, and proceeded back to the front of the procession and kept going. Kagome shouldered her bow and gazed up at the knowing eyes of Miroku.

            The monk regarded the Enchantress, "You know, if she's that good, I wonder what she needs us for."

            Kagome nodded, "I was wondering the same." Around them, the forest grew silent as the night descended upon them. Kagome would lay in her sleeping roll thinking about just that. Why would someone so powerful have need of she and her companions? Plus, what did she mean that her only magical attack could rob Inu-Yasha of his heritage?


	4. Chiara's Ultimate Power

            _"Soon," she cooed to the dead spirits around and within her, "our revenge will be sweeter than wine." _The spirits fluttered around nervously, but she shook her head reassuringly, _"Don't worry sisters, I'll not fail you. Go forth, seek him, plague his dreams, and tell me where he roams." _The spirits swirled around, understanding the command of their mistress and floated off into the starry night. Chiara smirked into the darkness before rolling onto her side in her bedroll and drifting off to a fitful sleep.

            Sunrise came with the cawing of the crow, and Kagome rose. Stretching absently, she ran a hand through her hair. Chiara's bedroll was empty already, as had become her custom the last few days. Listening intently unto the breeze, she heard the Enchantress's voice nearby and rose from her sleeping roll. Slipping on her shoes, she trotted slowly towards the source of the strange speak-song voice, and almost dropped her toothbrush at the sight.

The Enchantress danced across the surface of a pond. Fluid arm movements and dancing jumps and twirls produced spouts of water and multicolored light. Everywhere her feet brushed the surface of the pond, ripples would spread and form new cascades of serene flowing water. The graceful movements of Chiara were entrancing as Kagome paused to watch. All around the Enchantress, the colors solidified in the water, forming images of places and peoples, yet Chiara's eyes never opened. She seemed to understand the images though, as she would pay particular attention to certain spouts more than others, dancing around them like a swan. Kagome tried to move forward for a better view, but her foot landed on a brittle twig. At the snap, Chiara's eyes opened, and she stared deeply into Kagome's. With a gasp, the waterspouts suddenly vanished and the Enchantress plunged into the water with a huge splash.

A stunned Kagome could only blink as the now drenched Enchantress pulled herself out onto the shore like a wet cat. With a look of contempt, she brushed past Kagome and shuffled back to the camp, leaving small puddles in her wake. Kagome blinked a few more times, before falling over laughing at her companion's expense. Her laughter could be heard throughout the entire forest. No creature could understand her laughter except for one, who had witnessed the whole dance from his hidden perch, and had been mesmerized.

After brushing her teeth and washing her face in the cool pond, she returned to the camp. Chiara was standing in a dry shift, and was hanging her clothes to dry. She gave Kagome a brief glare over her shoulder, before returning to wringing out her thoroughly saturated garb. Kagome packed her things and started to don her traditional clothing. They stood in a guilty silence, neither speaking.

Kagome finally could contain it no longer, "What exactly were you doing Chiara? It was beautiful."

The Enchantress snorted at her, "I was scrying. Liquids work best for it."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, "In English."

The Enchantress glanced over her shoulder, "Scrying is the art of discerning events, whether they be past or future my impertinent friend. I was trying to scry Sesshoumaru's location so that we could reach him more quickly, but I had little luck."

Kagome started to peel an orange she pulled from her pack, "What do you mean?"

The Enchantress sighed, obviously perturbed by her own lack of success, "My vision was clouded. Very little can block the sight of scrying, but there are such major demons with the strength to ward off a peering eye. Sesshoumaru must be among them. Unfortunately for him, I do know where he is; he has to focus at least a bit to block me, and I can and have tracked that focus. Unfortunately, scrying requires _supreme_ concentration. Don't interrupt me when I'm focusing!" She walked over and bopped Kagome over the head with a roll of paper.

"So you do know where my brother is?" Inu-Yasha inquired as he stalked into the camp bearing a few plump river trout.

The Enchantress eyed the trout, "Feed me and I'll tell you where he is."

Inu-Yasha sneered at her, "Tell me where he is and I'll feed you."

Kagome didn't even blink, "Inu-Yasha…I have little patience right now; be a good boy, or I'll use the s-word."

With a growl, Inu-Yasha gave the fish to Kagome and stalked into a corner to sit and pout. While the fish roasted, she let Miroku and Shippou hold off the obviously furious Inu-Yasha, who wouldn't even touch his fish.

As Chiara spooned mouthfuls of fish, she stole a glance in Inu-Yasha's direction. "I was trying to scry the location of your brother this morning, until _someone _interrupted me." Kagome buried her face in her fish bowl quickly.

"I've figured out his location. He's near the border of his territory, probably patrolling or something. We're actually quite close; his power to block my scrying wouldn't be this strong unless we were close by. Plus, I've visited the Western Lands before when I was initially summoned to him, and I've been taking us on a quick path to the borders."

Inu-Yasha didn't lift his head to dignify her with a response, but Chiara could see his muscles and lips tighten a bit. Though she couldn't decide if he was tensing up in anticipation for the battle, or in fear of it.

Miroku and Shippou suddenly rose from their rolls and came to join them, drawn by the smell of the fish. As they started to spoon in choice morsals, Chiara seemed to notice them. "Miroku and Shippou, I cannot ask you to risk yourselves alongside us as we fight Sesshoumaru, which is why I ask that you remain here with the camp."

Miroku almost dropped his bowl, and Shippou looked up from his fish with a snarl, "I can't do that Chiara, I'm sworn to aid Inu-Yasha and Kagome and so is Shippou."

The Enchantress rounded on the rebellious monk, "And I am telling you to not involve yourselves. I tried to be nice, but unfortunately it seems I'll have to let you know what I did manage to see in my scrying. If you come to help us fight him, you will die. So will you Shippou. I don't know how, but I do know that if you involve yourselves, you will be slain. I only want Kagome and Inu-Yasha to come with me when we battle him."

Shippou looked like he was nearing tears, as the monk indicated Kagome with his staff, "And what of the Priestess, surely she'll need someone to protect her."

Chiara shook her head defiantly, "No she won't. Believe me, Sesshoumaru will have enough on his hands to deal with an enchanted Inu-Yasha. Besides, I really just need her there to draw extra strength from should my power begin to fail."

Kagome gave an angry glance from under her spoon, but continued to eat as though nothing happened. The Enchantress gazed again at the angry monk and kitsune, "Don't make me enchant the roots in the ground to hold you, I can do that." The angry duo exchanged a stare before agreeing. Chiara nodded her thanks and continued to eat her fish greedily.

After they had eaten their fill, Kagome, Chiara, and Inu-Yasha prepared to set off. Waving to Miroku and Shippou, they began the trek towards the boundaries of the Western Lands, and Sesshoumaru. Grim warriors they were as they trekked through the forest. Chiara's plan was simple. Inu-Yasha would attack Sesshoumaru, and Chiara would enchant him. After weakening Seshoumaru, Chiara would use her ultimate enchantment on Sesshoumaru to punish him. Chiara seemed eager enough, there was a certain spring in her step in anticipation of this battle. Kagome gulped in anticipation and tried to hide her fear, as Inu-Yasha merely walked, head down, focused on his task. Even with Tetsusaiga, this would be a tough battle.

An hour into their journey, Chiara suddenly halted. "Hold, I sense his presence." She raised her hands up into the air and seemed to test the wind. "He's outside his territory…odd. We shouldn't be even entering the Western lands for another couple of hours. Perhaps this is our unguarded chance!"

They continued onward, towards the essence of demonic power, the realization that their prey was near quickened their pace. The thick vegetation cleared out into a wide-open meadow filled with lush flowers. There were only a few small bushes and rocks about, and otherwise the meadow was fairly flat. It would make a perfect battle sight. In the center were Sesshoumaru and a small human child. As the demon stood watch, the little girl bounced happily from plant to plant, happily picking flowers.

Chiara gazed at the sight in stark confusion. This was hardly the Sesshoumaru she remembered. At the sight of the innocent child, she almost gave up on her revenge. What would avenging her son do if she couldn't bring herself to fight him? The spirits hissed in her ears_, "Avenge us, soul sister! Do not let him have the chance to do to others what he did to us! Make…him…pay…" _Chiara's resolve hardened immediately. Her soul sisters didn't die in vain. They died so she could live to carry on their legacy, and eliminate their destroyer. The Enchantress motioned for Kagome to hang back, as she approached Sesshoumaru with Inu-Yasha in tow.

The demon turned immediately at the sound of their footsteps, though they were a goodly distance still. He saw his good for nothing weakling brother, and a woman who seemed strangely familiar. She stalked forward with purposeful steps, her tri-colored silken garb flowing against wind currents. When the woman stopped, and Inu-Yasha fell in behind her, she moved her arms, and arcane symbols of light began to appear around her in the air. His eyes widened, "You…" he muttered.

            She smiled a wicked, hateful grin, "I see you remember me, Sesshoumaru. We have unfinished business, you and I." The gentle winds in the meadow suddenly became a swirling vortex, the winds gathered around the Enchantress, lending strength to her voice. "You killed my sisters. I have come here to make you pay. For every drop of blood you've taken from me, I shall take a drop from you. For every soul you've sent beyond, I shall flay your spirit. For killing my only son…I shall give you a taste of my power…the power to uncreate what you are!" She motioned Inu-Yasha forward, and he stood beside her.

            "Witness the true secrets of my people. Witness our true power!" She waved her hands before clasping them in front of her. She began muttering in her strange language, emphasizing several words at a time. The earth around her began to tremble, and the sky around her flashed with lightning. Like when Chiara summoned her staff once before, the lights of her magic began to grow and flash around her. Flashes like small nova erupted around the stoic Enchantress, and steadily, the lights began to solidify. With a feral scream that no living creature should ever hear, her power amplified. The earth tore to pieces, and the small plants and rocks were disintegrated by the massive release of power. Even Sesshoumaru took a defensive step back, crouching in front of Rin.

            As the earth shook and nature raged, Chiara continued to increase her already formidable powers. Clouds of dust were lifted from the earth to cocoon the legendary forces within, as Sesshoumaru pulled Rin beneath him to shield her from the excess energy. They held onto the earth for life itself, until the tremors finally began to weaken, and the storms that Chiara's power had produced began to subside. With a sudden grunt, the encasing dust fell away, revealing Chiara's true form. Before them stood a woman, wrapped in silks darker than evil's deadly source. Eyes of screaming white opened to survey the scene around her, as strong hands clenched and unclenched. Chiara's hair had changed as well. No longer inky black, it was the color of a starry sky. Small white lights shone as she shook her head, clearing her thoughts.

            Finally, her gaze rested on Sesshoumaru, "Now…" her voice seemed a mix of many, a medley of beauty and vengeance wrapped and spun together, "Feel my burning vengeance!" She raised her hands once more, and the sky around them darkened. Kagome took a defensive step back, trying to put some difference between herself and the raging power around her. Crackling red energy spiraled up the body of the lithe young woman, until a billowing aura of seething white flames exploded from every pore of her essence. At a point of her finger, the seething white flames shot forth onto Inu-Yasha, who was almost blown back by their force. "Now Inu-Yasha, I give you the strength to defy Sesshoumaru! Feel the strength of something neither mortal, nor demon…feel the strength of the earth itself!"

            The aura around Inu-Yasha began to pulse a vibrant forest green, and before their eyes, Inu-Yasha received the unsurpassed strength of the earth spirit. Kagome could only watch as screams tore from Inu-Yasha's lips as his muscles bulged with this awesome power. Before her tearing eyes, his chest bulged, and his arms and legs began to grow in size and proportion. Muscles expanded and grew almost wildly, but Chiara seemed to be orchestrating the whole action with skillful waves of her hands and esoteric symbols, and with a last vibrant flash of green, it was done. The Enchantress sank to one knee, but still had the strength to gaze upon her champion. Before them stood the hanyou they knew, only he seemed different. Perhaps more he felt more confident as he stood tall from the back view, until his face swung into view when he drew Tetsusaiga. Across his cheeks were demonic marks, like Sesshoumaru's, only they were forest green and seemed more tribal than demonic. He took an experimental swing with Tetsusaiga before leveling his angry countenance on his brother.

            Sesshoumaru growled a deep, throaty snarl at them, as Jaken bounded away with Rin. He would deal with the Enchantress and with his brother one final time, and Tetsusaiga would be his, no matter how strong the Enchantress could make Inu-Yasha. He regarded them impassively before baring his claws and taking a defensive posture. 

            Suddenly Inu-Yasha moved. Perhaps moved was too weak a word. He surged forward on powerful new legs. Though they had returned to their original size, they obviously retained the power Chiara had gifted them with. With a savage grin, he prepared himself for the assault to come, for Inu-Yasha moved with a speed no demon should ever be able to match.


	5. A Demon Reborn

            Never had Sesshoumaru fought an opponent like him. This new Inu-Yasha was far from the brother he once thought he knew. As he flowed forward in the elegant forms of their father's fang, Sesshoumaru found himself on the defensive, reeling away from swipes and jabs of the fabled fang. Attacking would be pointless unless he could wear Inu-Yasha down. Deftly, Sesshoumaru shifted around the rapid cuts of the fang like a specter, but the blade came closer and closer to finding his flesh. With a curse, he swerved out of the path of a half-moon slash, followed by a brilliant riposte. Sesshoumaru pulled away, using the wind currents to aid him. Relentlessly, his brother pursued, wielding the Tetsusaiga like never before. Sesshoumaru eyed the Enchantress out of the corner of his eye and cursed. Without her power, Inu-Yasha was nothing! Nothing at all! Her magic never showed this kind of enhancing potential before. Strong as she was once, she was never this strong. Plus, she wasn't done. Before his eyes, she raised her arms once more, with Kagome supporting her. He couldn't watch much though, lest his father's fang slip through his defenses.

            Chiara raised her hands high towards the sky. Her white eyes aimed towards the heavens. No words were necessary for this final technique. No words could hope to summon what would come forth from this final spell. She had tried everything else she knew to create a similar effect, and all had failed. Only one last spell to try. One last shot at vengeance. She had actually never performed this technique before, but her mother had taught it to her, and her mother before her. This technique was the last resort of the Enchanting people. As she heard the wind split as Tetsusaiga slashed through it, she focused on her hands. Removing a small knife, she barely prodded her finger, releasing a crimson droplet of blood. Into that blood, she poured her rage. The blood howled as though alive, bathing the surrounding area in a lurid red light, and slashing with barely contained power. Chiara gritted her teeth, and forced the energy under control.

Kagome eyed the orb with obvious fear, "Chiara…what is that?"

            Chiara never took her white eyes from the orb, "Please don't look at it, Kagome. It is too horrible for you to loose your sight over its creation as I did. This is Vengeance. This orb is the essence of a mother's instinct to protect her offspring at any cost. This is the pride of my people, our secret of secrets. I give you my ultimate technique; the orb of disenchantment." Chiara rolled it between her fingers, holding the violent energy responsible for the orb's creation in check as the battle between Sesshoumaru and Inu-Yasha continued to rage above them.

            Kagome looked away, "What does it do? How will this punish Sesshoumaru?"

            Chiara met her gaze stoicly; "It will disenchant him, forever. You must understand Kagome, though you are not an Enchantress, you are the reincarnation of Kikyo. Her blood within you will make you understand." Chiara seemed to gaze at the pair of dog youkai in battle above, as she pulled the orb from Kagome's sight, "Life, as we see it is an enchantment. The gods placed this enchantment on us in the forms of our souls to make us who we are. This orb, if strong enough can unmake us: it can unmake our very souls. This one is different though, it will only unmake the demon within Sesshoumaru."

            Kagome widened her eyes, "You mean you can make Sesshoumaru _human?"_

            Chiara nodded solemnly, "For the death of my son, it is my ultimate revenge, to make him what he despises more than anything in this world."

            The clang of a metal tore their attention from the astonishing orb as Inu-Yasha finally landed a hard blow with the pommel of the Tetsusaiga against Sesshoumaru's skull. The demon lord fell hard, hitting the ground with a thud. His beautiful garment was torn from his fall, and his face was already bruising.

            Chiara broke from the supporting hands of Kagome and treaded slowly to where he fell, balancing the orb in one hand, and striding purposefully with the other. She stopped a few bare feet from Sesshoumaru. He stirred, and opened his eyes, blinking rapidly to clear his vision. Before he could so much as roll to his feet, Chiara waved her free hand, and animated roots rose from the ground, pinning Sesshoumaru against the earth. He growled and snarled against his bonds, thrashing about with all his might. Try as he might though, the earthen roots held fast, and pinned the demon lord. Inu-Yasha floated down, and lighted beside Chiara and Kagome.

            Chiara raised the orb high above her head, the spirits screamed in her head for revenge. Inu-Yasha shuffled nervously behind him, but she ignored him. She gritted her teeth and struggled to blank them out, "Sesshoumaru, do you know what this orb will do to you? I've tasted your thoughts, and I know what you fear the most." She waved the orb before him, "This will make your worst fears come true, my friend. This will make your life the nightmare mine became when I cradled the dead body of my child in my arms. By the spirits divine and hellish, I shall make you _human_ for all time!"

            Sesshoumaru blinked in something like fear, "You haven't the power to do that Chiara."

Chiara smiled a cruel smile, "Oh, but that's where you're wrong, Sesshoumaru. You see, while you were out destroying innocent villages, I learned things. Interesting things. One aspect of that learning was the ability to change someone's fate. I modified that a bit and added it to my techniques. With it, I shall change your past fate into your future fate, and make you human forever. Forever more you shall be forced to live your life as the one thing you despise most."

She held the orb up high, "But enough of this drawl, I'm through with this path to vengeance. Once you've been made to pay, my son and sisters can rest in peace." She made ready to throw the orb.

The demon lord gazed at her uncertainly, "I have no idea what you're talking about, wench. Know though if you harm me, I shall seek revenge on you in the next life."

Chiara laughed. She actually laughed at his retort, "Don't propose to threaten me, Sesshoumaru. I have _plenty_ of time in this life once you're out of the way…" She broke off and gazed in the direction of the ends of the meadow.

A perplexed Sesshoumaru, Inu-Yasha, and Kagome followed her gaze to the edge of the meadows, where the human child was frantically trying to break free from Jaken's grasp. Tears spilled forth as she clawed at the earth, trying to escape the toad's grasp. Chiara hesitated.

The girl broke from the toad's grasp, and bolted to the fallen Sesshoumaru. She clutched at his chest and wailed uncontrollably. Chiara tried as hard as she could to look at the sight from below her nose, "Inu-Yasha…remove her."

The hanyou made no move to step forward, and instead sniffed the air, "This stinks Chiara. This stinks of the corruption of another. I can smell a lie…Sesshoumaru wasn't lying when he said he doesn't know what you're talking about."

Chiara blinked uncertainly, "But…that can't be! I saw him! It couldn't have been an illusion!"

Kagome was catching on, "Think Chiara. Think! Who else might have a grudge against you and your sisters? Who?"

Chiara paused to think, and in doing so cancelled her summoned disenchantment, "Well…I can't really think of any off the top of my head…there was a guy in Kikyo's village who came to us once. He was badly burned…Kikyo brought him to us to see if we could enchant his limbs so that they'd work again. We sensed the great evil in him, as she did, and we refused. He cursed our name ever since…"

Kagome's breath caught in her throat, "He wasn't called…Onigumo by chance? Was he?"

Chiara broke from her trance, "Why yes. In fact that was his name!"

Inu-Yasha clenched his fist and growled, "Naraku…I should've known."

Chiara looked perplexed, but still didn't release the still struggling Sesshoumaru, "Naraku? Who or what's a Naraku?"

"He's Onigumo, only transformed. At one point, Onigumo called hundreds of youkai to him, and gave over his soul in exchange for their power. They merged with him, forming the demon Naraku. Do you remember how Kikyo died?" Kagome asked.

The Enchantress toyed idly with her fingers, "No, no I don't think I ever found out. I was told that Inu-Yasha killed her actually; though I've searched his thoughts and found no murder there."

Inu-Yasha growled deep in his throat, "Count Naraku as the one who did it."

Only Inu-Yasha felt the anguish as she let slip a single tear and a moan of pain, "So much death…and all caused by this Naraku person…Kikyo was a good priestess and a true friend. If what you say is true, then Naraku is my true enemy, not Sesshoumaru." She waved her hand, and the clutching vines receded into the ground.

The demon lord slowly rose to his feet, placing Rin on his unarmored shoulder. He brushed himself off before glaring at the Enchantress, "Well wench, if you're intent on pursuing Naraku, I shall accompany the lot of you." He eyed the dropped jaws of Inu-Yasha and Kagome with disdain before returning his golden gaze on the Enchantress. "No one uses the image of Sesshoumaru and gets away with it."

Chiara nodded and laughed aloud. Inu-Yasha almost screeched in protest. Kagome fiddled idly with her hair. Sesshoumaru eyed them all like a majestic gargoyle. "Then swear to our revenge on your honor Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru nodded before clenching a fist, feeling razor sharp nails dig into the flesh of his palm. Rivulets of crimson dripped from his hand, and he swore the oath on the grave of his father, in the eldest tongue he knew of the dog youkai, "On the honor of myself and my father's grave, I pledge myself to thee, Chiara. I pledge myself to your revenge. I pledge myself to darkness."


	6. Love and Water Hazards

Dreams. She hadn't had one in a long while. This one enraptured her thoughts. Chiara sat on a small log in a meditative state. Her eyes were closed. They were useless anyways. Her ears were tuned out. They couldn't tell her all she needed to know. As a small child, she had been taught that all dreams have meaning. So what did this one mean? The moment she woke up that morning and she had seen Inu-Yasha and Kagome fighting, she knew the eventual result. She recreated the illusion that masked her true form and sat to watch.

"Sit!"

Inu-Yasha got a nice close up with the floor, while Kagome swiped wildly at her nightclothes.

The hanyou glared up at her and growled angrily, "What the hell was that for Kagome? I didn't do anything!"

She glared down at him vengefully, "You fell asleep on top of me!" She pulled off stray white hairs, "And you took the liberty to shed on me!"

He grinned, "So? Your chest makes a nice pillow."

"Sit!"

 Chiara had jumped up angrily when Inu-Yasha hit the ground and scolded Kagome soundly. The girl flinched at the force behind the Enchantress's voice, and even Inu-Yasha couldn't suppress a blink of surprise. When he looked at her, she blushed and turned away.

Even as she thought of him, she felt her heart race. Since they had first met, she had felt a pulling to the hanyou, but she never thought she could actually love him. Maybe not love him, but lust for him. She couldn't stop staring at his lips. She hungered to crush them against her own.

Inu-Yasha scowled as Kagome prepared their morning meal. He could smell something amiss with Chiara, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was. She smelled…strange. She didn't smell of flowers and artificial scents anymore. She reeked of desire. Plain and simple, he could smell it on her. He rubbed his face. Kagome's 'sit' hadn't been especially pleasant. Though she definitely made a nice cushion.

The Enchantress suddenly snuck into their campsite, carefully watching for anyone. When her eyes met his, he could sense the surge of emotion within her as she quickly averted her eyes and went to her pack. He considered going to her and asking her, but thought better of it. It was probably some stupid girl issue anyways.

Miroku eyed the Enchantress and the hanyou suspiciously. He had been observing the two carefully, and considered confiding in Shippou. As the kitsune hopped by, Miroku quickly snatched him by the tail and pulled him close.

The kitsune smacked him with a twig, "Ow! What do you think you're doing Miroku? That hurt!"

The monk placed his finger over the fox spirit's mouth to silence any further bickering, "You'll live. Have you noticed anything strange with Chiara and Inu-Yasha?"

The kitsune knocked the offending finger away and sat in a contemplative position, "Well, to tell you the truth I haven't been paying much attention. Why?"

The monk glanced around quickly, making sure none of the warriors was nearby, "I think Chiara is in love with Inu-Yasha."

The kitsune let out a strangled laugh. Strangled because Miroku quickly placed his hand over the spirit's mouth.

"I'd say it's a one way attraction then," Shippou noted after his laughter subsided.

Miroku nodded, "I'd have to agree with you."

The kitsune eyed him suspiciously, "What brought this on Miroku? Noting other people's exchanges?" The kitsune felt the monk's forehead.

"Well I haven't had much luck convincing Kagome to bear my heir. Plus perverted antics don't work well around her."

The kitsune grinned evilly, "Well, she does have Inu-Yasha."

Miroku nodded, "Yes…I wonder what would happen if Inu-Yasha and Chiara really did start seeing each other."

Suddenly the monk's eyes widened and he hastily grabbed Shippou and started shaking him, "Shippou! That's it! If I can make Chiara and Inu-Yasha fall in love, then I can make Kagome fall in love with me!"

The kitsune squirmed in his grip, "Great plan; how do you expect to get Inu-Yasha to fall in love with anything living, genius?"

The monk pondered for a moment, "Well…there are some things that can make a man wild with lust. However, using those on Inu-Yasha could prove hazardous."

Shippou laughed, "Yeah well. Some things should go unused."

A flash of light greeted them at a nearby stream, and spouts of water started to rise and fall. Miroku watched them carefully, "Chiara must be scrying."

The monk and kitsune grinned at each other evilly, "Perfect."

Miroku came sprinting into the campsite. Inu-Yasha was sitting, dozing against a tree. Miroku eyed him with distaste before delivering a quick kick to the ribs.

The hanyou awoke with a snarl, "What's the big deal monk?"

Miroku snatched Inu-Yasha's shoulder, "Inu-Yasha, come quick! Kagome's in trouble by the lake!"

As if on command, a shriek came from the lake.

"Kagome!" Inu-Yasha yelled as he drew Tetsusaiga and sprinted towards the lake. Miroku smiled at the demon's advance, "That was almost too easy."

Shippou crafted the illusion with care. One false sound and he knew Inu-Yasha's sensitive ears would detect the difference. Manufacturing voices was easy, especially if you'd heard the one you were imitating enough.

The hanyou burst onto the lakeshore and froze. The Tetsusaiga reversed its transformation and clattered from his grasp.

Kagome completely forgotten, his gaze was drawn to the water. Chiara danced like a song across its surface, wearing her simple, silken tunic. He couldn't tear his eyes from her form, as she glowed like an angel, and swept across the water's surface. It all shattered in an instant, as his sword clattered to the ground. Her eyes snapped open, and she fixed on him with surprise, and suddenly fell into the water with a splash.

Inu-Yasha sat on the shore, wondering what just happened until Chiara dragged herself up onto the shore. She stood up, her silken raiment drenched, revealing the curves of her breasts. Inu-Yasha blushed and turned to go, but a firm voice held him.

"Sit!"

The ground had many things to say as Inu-Yasha tried to pry himself off of it, "How…how did you do that?!? Only Kagome can do that to me!"

Chiara smiled a wicked smile as she covered herself as best she could with her hands, "Oh that? I just had to see Kagome do it a few times and I figured out how it works. It's a very simple enchantment."

She seemed almost distracted by thought, and Inu-Yasha used the opportunity to try and crawl away, but before he knew it, she'd pounced on him and pinned him against the ground. "Furthermore! I don't like being interrupted while I'm scrying! It works best in liquids, and when I get distracted, I get wet. When Chiara gets wet, Chiara gets upset, and when Chiara gets upset, you and the ground get your make-out session! Understood?"

He nodded quickly. "Good." She made a move to get up, but a hand on her wrist stopped her. She looked down at him with surprise, and tried to tug free again. He held her tight, and despite her attempts, he pulled her too him. She didn't resist when his lips met hers; in fact, she welcomed his hungry kiss, and returned it with one of her own. What he saw with his eyes, his hands tasted. What she thought she imagined, became reality. She felt her soft silk retreat from her shoulders, and warm fingers caress the small of her back, and she fell into the rapture.

Kagome sat with Miroku, sipping a new blend of tea he had just concocted. "Have you seen Inu-Yasha, Miroku?"

His face the portrait of complete innocence, "No, I haven't Kagome. Perhaps he's out practicing his swordplay."

Shippou couldn't suppress a snicker.


End file.
